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Scioli confirmed that Rafael Nadal will bring seven hotels from his luxury chain to Argentina: what they are like and where they will be - La Nacion Propiedades
Source:
www.lanacion.com.ar
August 13, 2025
The former Spanish tennis player owns three ZEL hotels, along with the Meliá chain, in Mallorca, the Costa Brava, and Punta Cana; the current Secretary of Tourism, Environment, and Sports confirmed on his X account the arrival of seven hotels in the country.
Rafael Nadal, former world number one and tennis icon, expands his legacy with the ZEL hotel brand that will arrive in the country.
Tennis legend Rafael Nadal — who was so often cheered by the Argentine public at the Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis Club—will once again have a presence in the country, this time off the courts: the former world number one will be arriving in Argentina with one of his hotels . This was confirmed today by Daniel Scioli, the current Secretary of Tourism, Environment and Sports of the Nation, on his X account with the following text: “Rafa Nadal arrives in Argentina with a tourism venture: 7 luxury hotels together with Meliá Hotels International. This shows the growing interest in this Argentina of President @JMilei , of entrepreneurial personalities such as @GabrielEscarrer , CEO of Meliá Hotels, and of an outstanding person like Rafa, now in a different stage of his life. Seven hotels from his ZEL line will be established in different wonderful destinations in our country. Argentina, the best country in the world.”
In 2023, Nadal launched the ZEL brand , a hotel concept that seeks to export the Mediterranean lifestyle to different destinations around the world, together with the Meliá chain.
The hotels are part of an expansion plan in Argentina, which includes a US$200 million investment to open seven new developments over the next five years. The strategy targets nature-focused destinations with high tourist demand, such as El Calafate, Bariloche, Ushuaia, Mendoza, Iguazú, Posadas, and Salta , and among them will be Argentina's first ZEL .
Zel Mallorca, Rafael Nadal and Meliá's first hotel in Mallorca, opened in 2023.Tripadvisor
Meliá currently operates five hotels in Argentina —three owned and two franchised—including the Gran Meliá Iguazú , located within the National Park with direct views of the falls. This hotel is not only the group's flagship hotel in the country, but has also been nominated in three categories at the 2025 World Travel Awards : "Best Hotel in South America , " "Best Green Hotel," and "Best Resort in Argentina . "
The first step in this new phase was the transformation of the former Sofitel Arroyo into The Meliá Collection Casa Lucía , a redesigned five-star luxury hotel with a US$8 million investment. This project is also being completed with a Gran Meliá in Ushuaia and an Innside by Meliá in Costa del Este , both developed in conjunction with the Almarena Group .
The Gran Meliá Iguazú hotel is located inside the national park and has views of the falls.
With the new plan, the chain will now have 12 establishments in the country , and among them will be the local debut of ZEL , a brand that already has locations in Mallorca , Costa Brava and, recently, Punta Cana .
“Meliá has been promoting an intensive expansion plan for its premium and luxury hotel brands in Argentina in recent years, a commitment facilitated by the support of the Argentine government and, in particular, the Secretary of Tourism. Within this framework, the Group will incorporate five new projects in Ushuaia, Buenos Aires, Salta, and Mendoza , which will join the existing hotels in the country,” the chain said. Meanwhile, regarding Daniel Scioli's announcement on his X account, the company stated that “we are delighted to note that the new hotel portfolio, and those planned to be signed in the coming months, include products that will carry brands such as the iconic ZEL, created by Meliá with Rafael Nadal, as well as Gran Meliá (already present in Iguazú), The Meliá Collection, Meliá, and Innside by Meliá.”
The ZEL Punta Cana hotel, opening in March 2025. Meliá International
ZEL was born with a central idea: to bring the Mediterranean lifestyle to other corners of the world through a hotel experience based on nature, movement, and connection. “A space to feel good, active, and free,” defined Nadal, who personally participated in the conceptualization of the complex, contributing his vision of sport as a tool for physical and mental balance.
The resort features 190 suites spread across tropical gardens, pools, and native vegetation trails. The rooms are designed with an outdoor living concept in mind , with an aesthetic that combines natural materials, light tones, and spaces that invite you to open your doors to the outdoors.
The largest room with amenities for extended stays. Meliá International
Regarding its culinary offering, the hotel houses eight restaurants and bars that fuse Mediterranean flavors with local ingredients. Highlights include PARDA , a buffet of fresh, seasonal cuisine; Nokyo , which combines Japanese techniques with Iberian recipes; and Tacorini , a fusion of Greek and Mexican cuisine.
The resort operates on an all-inclusive basis, and its rates reflect the level of exclusivity and service. A night in a Zel Suite starts at $447,802, Master Suites from $494,158, and Swim-Up Suites from $652,696. All stays include wellness activities, a full culinary offering, internal transfers, and experiences designed to restore balance between body and mind.
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Source:
Scioli confirmó que Rafael Nadal traerá siete hoteles de su cadena de lujo a la Argentina: cómo son y dónde estarán
El extenista español es dueño de tres hoteles ZEL, junto a la cadena Meliá, en Mallorca, la Costa Brava y Punta Cana; el actual secretario de Turismo, Ambiente y Deportes confirmó en su cuenta X el desembarco de siete hoteles en el país
www.lanacion.com.ar
August 13, 2025
The former Spanish tennis player owns three ZEL hotels, along with the Meliá chain, in Mallorca, the Costa Brava, and Punta Cana; the current Secretary of Tourism, Environment, and Sports confirmed on his X account the arrival of seven hotels in the country.
Rafael Nadal, former world number one and tennis icon, expands his legacy with the ZEL hotel brand that will arrive in the country.
Tennis legend Rafael Nadal — who was so often cheered by the Argentine public at the Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis Club—will once again have a presence in the country, this time off the courts: the former world number one will be arriving in Argentina with one of his hotels . This was confirmed today by Daniel Scioli, the current Secretary of Tourism, Environment and Sports of the Nation, on his X account with the following text: “Rafa Nadal arrives in Argentina with a tourism venture: 7 luxury hotels together with Meliá Hotels International. This shows the growing interest in this Argentina of President @JMilei , of entrepreneurial personalities such as @GabrielEscarrer , CEO of Meliá Hotels, and of an outstanding person like Rafa, now in a different stage of his life. Seven hotels from his ZEL line will be established in different wonderful destinations in our country. Argentina, the best country in the world.”
In 2023, Nadal launched the ZEL brand , a hotel concept that seeks to export the Mediterranean lifestyle to different destinations around the world, together with the Meliá chain.
The hotels are part of an expansion plan in Argentina, which includes a US$200 million investment to open seven new developments over the next five years. The strategy targets nature-focused destinations with high tourist demand, such as El Calafate, Bariloche, Ushuaia, Mendoza, Iguazú, Posadas, and Salta , and among them will be Argentina's first ZEL .
Zel Mallorca, Rafael Nadal and Meliá's first hotel in Mallorca, opened in 2023.Tripadvisor
Meliá currently operates five hotels in Argentina —three owned and two franchised—including the Gran Meliá Iguazú , located within the National Park with direct views of the falls. This hotel is not only the group's flagship hotel in the country, but has also been nominated in three categories at the 2025 World Travel Awards : "Best Hotel in South America , " "Best Green Hotel," and "Best Resort in Argentina . "
The first step in this new phase was the transformation of the former Sofitel Arroyo into The Meliá Collection Casa Lucía , a redesigned five-star luxury hotel with a US$8 million investment. This project is also being completed with a Gran Meliá in Ushuaia and an Innside by Meliá in Costa del Este , both developed in conjunction with the Almarena Group .
The Gran Meliá Iguazú hotel is located inside the national park and has views of the falls.
With the new plan, the chain will now have 12 establishments in the country , and among them will be the local debut of ZEL , a brand that already has locations in Mallorca , Costa Brava and, recently, Punta Cana .
“Meliá has been promoting an intensive expansion plan for its premium and luxury hotel brands in Argentina in recent years, a commitment facilitated by the support of the Argentine government and, in particular, the Secretary of Tourism. Within this framework, the Group will incorporate five new projects in Ushuaia, Buenos Aires, Salta, and Mendoza , which will join the existing hotels in the country,” the chain said. Meanwhile, regarding Daniel Scioli's announcement on his X account, the company stated that “we are delighted to note that the new hotel portfolio, and those planned to be signed in the coming months, include products that will carry brands such as the iconic ZEL, created by Meliá with Rafael Nadal, as well as Gran Meliá (already present in Iguazú), The Meliá Collection, Meliá, and Innside by Meliá.”
What are Rafael Nadal's ZEL hotels like?
In March 2025, the ZEL brand landed in the Caribbean with the opening of ZEL Punta Cana , an all-inclusive resort that brings the Mediterranean spirit to the heart of the Dominican Republic. This is the first international expansion for this brand developed by Meliá Hotels International in partnership with Nadal, which already has two properties in Spain: in Mallorca and on the Costa Brava.
The ZEL Punta Cana hotel, opening in March 2025. Meliá International
ZEL was born with a central idea: to bring the Mediterranean lifestyle to other corners of the world through a hotel experience based on nature, movement, and connection. “A space to feel good, active, and free,” defined Nadal, who personally participated in the conceptualization of the complex, contributing his vision of sport as a tool for physical and mental balance.
The resort features 190 suites spread across tropical gardens, pools, and native vegetation trails. The rooms are designed with an outdoor living concept in mind , with an aesthetic that combines natural materials, light tones, and spaces that invite you to open your doors to the outdoors.
The largest room with amenities for extended stays. Meliá International
Regarding its culinary offering, the hotel houses eight restaurants and bars that fuse Mediterranean flavors with local ingredients. Highlights include PARDA , a buffet of fresh, seasonal cuisine; Nokyo , which combines Japanese techniques with Iberian recipes; and Tacorini , a fusion of Greek and Mexican cuisine.
The resort operates on an all-inclusive basis, and its rates reflect the level of exclusivity and service. A night in a Zel Suite starts at $447,802, Master Suites from $494,158, and Swim-Up Suites from $652,696. All stays include wellness activities, a full culinary offering, internal transfers, and experiences designed to restore balance between body and mind.
www.buysellba.com
